CANNES, France — LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner tells Beet.TV that the social network for business people will be the the “definitive professional publishing platform.”

LinkedIn’s content ambitions began with its Influencer program, in which a selection of hand-picked A-list business and public figures have gathered large audiences for their thought leadership on the site. Now LinkedIn is increasingly opening up to all users.sees video as an increasingly important component of the professional network’s content strategy.

Video Emerging:

“Video is a natural extension of LinkedIn as a publisher platform,” Weiner tells Beet.TV.

“You see videos increasingly being shared on people’s profiles. (LinkedIn-owned) SlideShare is not just about PowerPoint presentations but video as well.”

Dan Roth, LinkedIn’s executive editor overseeing editorial operations, is now recording SlideShare-hosted video interviews for LinkedIn with influencers like Sir Martin Sorrell.

Weiner spoke with Beet.TV during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.  This session was taped in the penthouse garden at the Martinez used for the week by MediaCom.   Please find more coverage of the festival here.